Change
by MarigoldStevens
Summary: My brother told me not to worry. He promised he'd come back. I believed him. One-shot about what exactly Cato's little sister is thinking.


**This idea came to me out of no where, and I just had to write it. You know, at 2 a.m. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

My brother told me not to worry. He told me to trust him. He told me to stop crying and smile, because he would come home and we would move into a bigger house and be happy forever. I believed him.

On reaping day when he volunteered and I held on to my mother's hand, I was confused. Why was he up on that stage with Clove? Why were people cheering for him? Then we went and visited him and he told me he'd be going away for awhile. He told me to not be sad because I'd see him on the screen. That's when I understood:the Games. Even at the tender age of 7, I knew what the Games were. The Games were where there were winners and losers, and Cato was going to join that elite circle of winners because Cato made me laugh and hugged me and he couldn't lose.

So I waved good-bye to him and Clove as they sped away on that train, holding the hand of Etta, Clove's twin. But she was not happy and smiling like I was; instead, her lips were all squashed together in this thin line and wrinkles were on her forehead. Wrinkles. Mother would've had a collapse right then and there. But I did not understand, because Cato was going to win so how could she be sad? Cato was going to win. Cato-oh. Clove. She wanted Clove to win, and so did I. I had known Clove since forever, and I wanted Clove to come home, she was my almost-sister. But I wanted Cato to come home too, because he was my real-brother. I shook my head, not wishing to think about it anymore.

I watched them shine. Cato was confident and handsome, strutting across the stage. The Capital girls screamed his name, professing their undying devotion. Well well, wasn't my brother quiet the heartthrob? Clove was dark and pretty and all the boys watching with careful eyes as she walked, taking her in. Cato did not appreciate this, I noted, seeing his clenched jaw and her smirk back at him. I did not like this fire girl, because she made both of them unhappy. I much preferred it when she wasn't there, and instead it was just Cato. I looked up from my dolls to see my brother smiling, and I blew a kiss like I'd seen those Capital girls doing. Father looked up from his book to smile at me and mother cooed, patting my hair.

I watched them take charge. Even to me, whom no one would explain anything to, it was obvious. There was a group of them. I instantly disliked the blonde girl as she grabbed my brother's arm and laughed. Apparently, Clove disliked her too as she sharpened her knifes. When I asked Father what they were doing to make that girl scream, he explained that she was bad and they were getting rid of her. I asked how could she be bad, because she had seemed fine before, but Father said that she was bad because she was preventing Cato from coming home. I wondered if that meant Clove was bad too.

I watched them relieved. Ever since the end of that blonde girl (it was okay that I was happy with this, because she was stopping Cato from coming home and she made Clove mad), their little group had been rapidly disappearing. Then it was just Cato and Clove, until it wasn't. They walked away from each other, each with confusing expressions. I asked Etta about this, since she had taken a habit of watching with me, since her father was never home. She said that they couldn't be together, because they were stopping each other from winning and that was bad. I did not like this. I wanted both of them to win. This bothered me until the day I was too intent on coloring to really pay attention to the screen, until Etta clamped her hand over her mouth, laughing. I looked over at her, puzzled. On the screen, I was somewhat shocked to see Cato and Clove in a rather heated kiss, their hands grabbing at the other like all of Panem wasn't watching. Etta explained that there was a new rule that made it so both Cato and Clove could win. I was happy. Apparently, so were they.

I watched them fall apart. Clove was going to end the fire girl-why was she still there anyways?-and Cato was going after that goofy boy who followed fire girl like my puppy followed me. Then that scary boy was holding up Clove and she was screaming and then he dropped her and Etta was shrieking, having fallen onto the floor. Clove was getting quieter and quieter and Cato came rushing out of the bushes and did the oddest thing. He started _crying_. I had never seen my brother cry, not once. Cato had always boasted about how he did not cry, Careers did not cry. Until they did. I was scared because nothing was right. Clove wasn't moving and Etta was still sobbing and wailing and Cato was pleading, banging his fist on the ground as he begged Clove to come back to him.

I watched them change. Mother was always in her room, sitting in her chair and staring at the window at something that wasn't there. I did not like to go see her, because she frightened me, and Father was never home. Etta still came and watching with me, although now she was always sad. After they took Clove away, Cato was different. He found the big, scary boy who made Clove disappear and did something to him that made him scream. I don't know what he did, because Etta covered my eyes and took me from the room and wouldn't tell me. Then there was that undying fire girl who I hated even more now because she should've been Clove and that goofy boy and Cato. I knew Cato was going to end them, he was going to win, because he said he would and I believed him. Suddenly, there were these scary dogs that looked eerily familiar and they started hurting my brother. Etta made this strangled little choking sound, and when I asked her what was happening, she simply said _the eyes. _Then I realized. The blonde girl's eyes-they were attached to one of the dogs hurting Cato. Then there was another dog with Clove's eyes and that seemed so so wrong to me, and I was crying when the fire girl shot the arrow at my brother because that meant he wasn't coming back.

So I watched the fire girl-Katniss, her name was- come through and dare to step in our District, holding on to that goofy boy like he was the only thing keeping her up. As if she had suffered so much and we should all feel so bad for her. When she spoke, I was holding onto Etta's hand because my mother was still upstairs looking up that window and Father was whispering to some men about something. Etta kept sneering and making these comments that reminded me of Clove before she shook my hand off (_honestly Casi, you're 9. Act like it and stop holding my hand like some snotty baby. Cato wouldn't like it)_.

Now there's this whole rebellion thing going on, and it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter because Mother isn't here anymore (_she was just so so sad Casi, you have to realize, she didn't know what she was doing, she didn't know taking that many pills would do it_) and Father is always off somewhere, away from this house that's a constant reminder of the son that did not win. Etta comes around, her hair thin and the thought of revenge fueling her every movement, and says the same things. _You're 11, Casi, you shouldn't be like this. You're too mature Casi. You're too much of a baby Casi. _You're too much of a reminder of my almost-brother with your light hair and blue eyes that isn't coming home with my sister.

Katniss Everdeen has been dubbed the Mockingjay. She is adored and hated. She calls for us to fight back. She calls for change, says that change will make things better, change will make things right.

I want to ask you Katniss Everdeen. I want to ask you if this change of yours will make things better for me, make things right. Will it make Clove come and in and sit at the table and smirk with Cato and smile at me again? Will it make Cato-you remember, the boy you killed because he was such a _monster_? The boy you've probably forgotten because the schedule of the Mockingjay is so so busy and what is one death to a hundred- hug me again and kiss my cheek and call me his Cas? Can you promise it'll mean I get to bury my face in his shirt and see him laugh? Will change make my mother come back wearing a smile and my father walk in and kiss my head and call me his Princess? Will it mean Etta will start smiling instead of scowling and be happy? Will it mean I will stop crying every night and thinking of my long-gone brother who everyone but me has forgotten about? Will it make me happy?

Because, Katniss Everdeen, if it does not, then I want no part of your precious change.

**Kinda creepy, I know. But please please review!**


End file.
